Supplied in a huge (as a matter of fact, it measures whole 46 millimeters in diameter!) titanium body, this gorgeous Oris Aquis Titan Chronograph (Ref. 674 7655 7253) automatic diving wrist watch offers you everything that you can expect from this kind of a timekeeper: an impressive water resistance rating, a bullet-proof self-winding movement, and an easily recognizable, yet very original design. The whole nine yards, so to say. The only thing that may scare a number of people a way is, perhaps, the recommended minimum retail price of almost $4000 USD, although it still seems justified to yours truly.

Looking almost identical to the last year’s Oris Carlos Coste Limited Edition Cenote Series Diver (Ref. 674 7655 7184-Set) and, too, rated for pretty much impressive 500 meters of water resistance, the new Oris Aquis Titan comes in a slightly smaller body, but, thanks to the nice combination of polished and machine-brushed surfaces and different materials, looks a lot more imposing and, well, professional.

While many recently presented divers are offered with either wholly or partly ceramic bezels, this new model features a not so common tungsten inlay, which, with its hardness of 7.5 on Mohs scale, is even harder than most ceramic materials used in the watchmaking industry.

According to official info, some parts of the watch, such as the screw-down crown and the chronograph push-pieces at 2 and 4 o’clock, are done using a high-grade stainless steel. Together with inevitable helium escape valve (HEV, placed at 9 o’clock), they make the watch look even more interesting.

As usual for divers, the watch has its applied hour markers generously covered with Superluminova. The hours, minutes and small seconds hands are also luminous, although they could have been slightly broader in order to increase legibility.

Inside this model is beating the well-known ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph caliber. Graciously combining great reliability with impressive serviceability, the movement is still considered a de facto industry standard, even despite its advanced age.

Very nice timekeeper, that. Also, Oris somehow managed to set the price right: at $3900 MSRP, you may spend a great deal of time trying to find a time measuring device that would combine a titanium case, a good reliable mechanism, and an almost impeccable styling into the same extremely lightweight package: on a metal bracelet, it tips the scales at just over 180 grams, which makes it almost unnoticeable on a wrist of a normal man, but still gives it a sort of presence one expects from a well-built watch.